Three More American Agrimotors.
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The Russell Giant Tractor, the Russell Light 12-24 Tractor, and the Strite Tractor are now Being Marketed in this Country.
At the present time, many farmers, anxious to go ahead with land cultivation in the speediest and most effective manner, are in doubt as to which agrimotor now being marketed they, ought to select. Selection is certainly somewhat a difficult affair, but it is more important than difficult, and, therefore, its principles should be carefully studied. Of course, it is work desired that should influence mainly the selection. Naturally, by far the best manner is actually to see the various types of machines in action, and ta form one's own conclusions from the work done.. Recognizing the value of such tests to prospective buyers, we have. described several of. them recently, and we supplement these by the description of those agrimotors that come before our notice, having agent: in this country.
Details Required by Agrimntor Buyers.
With regard to the principle of selection, a farmer will certainly know what he wants batter than a layman, but the agritnotor dealer frequently fails to impress his client by accentuating unimportant points, and by not laying sufficient emphasis on really vital matters. Dealers should be far More eager to Five details of the work done by an agrimotor on various soils, of it cost of running, of its ease of manipulation to qualified ploughmen, its consumption of fuel, capabilities, and general reliability, than enthusiastic remarks on the excellence of the engine work, and technical details, not of great importance to the average farmer. Above all he should point out that success in use depends not simply on technical knowledge of the tractor, but on technical knowledge of plough ing.. • What an Agrimotor Should be Able to Do.
Let us briefly state the requisite points of an agrimotor which should be emphasized by the dealer. It must be capable of rough and varied service, on hilly, hard, Bandy, soft, frozen' snowy, all sorts and conditions of ground ; it must do better and• more work than horses, as an agrimotor can and should do ; its service must be elastic, that is to say, it must be capable, with equal beneficial result, economically, and in quality of Work performed, of hard work and light work • its construction must be simple and easily understandable, and adjustable ; it should be economical of epair cost, running cost, and man power ;. it should be of standardized design. The dealer should give -the inquirer unexaggerated figures for cost per The Russell light 12-24 tractor with a gross weight of 5500 lbs. for pulling three 14 in. bottom ploughs.
• tractor hour, cost per acre ploughed, amount of fuel consumed per acre, time of 'ploughing one acre direct weight on soil to be ploughed, horse-power of drawbar pull, tractive horse-power, width and diameter of driving wheel, speed per hour en two speeds, width and diameter of driving wheel, depth. of furrows ploughed.
Many Machines from Which to Select.
Such knowledge in conjunction with practical tests over different soils should determine the farmer's choice, but before he seesthe machines tested, he must make a selection from brief descriptions of those he wishes to see in action—hence the value of concise, short descriptions from the dealer's standpoint. He has many machines from which to select.. Several agrimotor dealers are now selling two or three types. J. Byrne, of 33a, Grafton Street, Dublin, and 235, High Holborn, London, W,C., is offering three, all imported from America, namely, the Russell Giant, tho Russell light 12-14 tractor, and the Strite tractor, made by the Strife Tractor Co., Minneapolis.
The Russell Giant.
The first-named of these, the Russell Giant, is a, strong, four-wheeled machine, with a tractive horsepower of 30, and a rated belt horse-power of 60. The gearing, it is stated, has received special attention in regard to running strength and durability. The engine is a four-cylinder one, of Sin, bore and 10 in. stroke. The radiator consists of open brass tubing. There are two forward speeds, 4 m.p.h. and 1 m.p.h., and one reverse. The clutch is of the three-shoe wood-faced type ; the crankshaft makes 400 revolutions per minute. The gross weight of the tractor is given as 22,000 lb. The length of the wheelbase is 12 ft. 5 ins, and the height of the drawbar 22 ins. ; the diameter of the drive wheels, 84 ins., and their face breadth 22 ins.
The Rusiell Light Tractor. .
The light. tractor from the same makers, known the Russell 12-24, isalso a. four-wheeled tractor, with a tractive horse-newer of 24. It is. fitted with fourcylinder, four-cycle motor,. cooled-. by a' centrifugal force pump and honeycomb radiator. There are three forward speeds, .and one reverse, the regular pulling or ploughingspeed being a direct drive, so that there are no gears in transmission, thus saving considerably wear and tear on gears. The two rear wheels are provided with extra cleats, which can be attached outwards from the rim, when the tractor is working over soft ground. The gross weight of this tractor is 5500 lb. comparing with 22,000 lb. weight of the heavy tractor. The value, of course, of a heavy tractor over a light one is its capability for pulling more ploughs, and the num,Iler and size of ploughs to be pulled should determine the choice between the two. The overall length and width of the 12-24 tractor is 11 ft. 7 ins. and -8 ft. -respectively, the latter measurement being with hood on, which gives an additional height of 1 ft. 10 ins. Tho tractor can pull, it is stated, three 1-4 in. bottom ploughs, and can do light threshing and ether farm work.
The Standardized Strite Tractor.
The remaining tractor for which Mr. J. Byrne is European agent is the Standardized Strite Tractor 'driven by the Waukesha four-cylinder motor, of 3i in. bore and 51in. stroke., cooled by centrifugal pump, and governed by the Waukesha patented governor. The transmission is in a Unit' withthe motor, and the gears are automatically oiled. The other part of the frame is spring mounted at the bearing of each drive wheel, making a three-point suspension, and the main frame is spring mounted also. The rear axle is live and turns in the two centre bearings just inside the rear wheels, the bearings being of the " carbox" type. The front axle is spring-mounted on both front .wheels. In addition the radiator, which is of the auto type, is also spring mounted, independent of the frame. The "B " 1917 model, now lacing sold, can pull a two or three-plough outfit.